Radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction (RFVTR) of inferior turbinates:A new method in the treatment of chronic nasal obstruction

Twenty-two Caucasians (16 male and 6 female) with chronic bilateral nasal o bstruction due to hypertrophic inferior turbinates were followed up over a three-month period. They,were assessed by clinical examination, as active a nterior rhinometry, and acoustic rhinometry before and after topical decong estion, preoperatively and three months after surgery. All patients,were tr eated by application of radiofrequency-volumetric-tissue reduction (RFVTR, or somnoplasty) to both inferior turbinates. Initial postoperative edematou s response disappeared during the first week after RFVTR. Three months post operatively 20 of 22 patients (91%) reported subjective improvement of nasa l patency. The average cross-sectional area for both sides of the nasal cav ity (measured at the head of the inferior turbinate (C-Notch) before decong estion) increased in 15 of 22 patients (68.2%). This means a significant im provement from 1.24 to 1.49 cm(2) for both sides of the nasal cavity (p = 0 .0054). We conclude that RFVTR can safely reduce turbinate volume in a prec ise manner in patients with nasal obstruction die to hypertrophic Inferior turbinates.